FAITH OR LUCK

Music is often said to be the language of the universe. It speaks to our inner being and touches our souls with an immutable strength that is beyond simple letters, words and sentences. Phrases of music can change the very nature of an afternoon if the setting is perfect, if the universe has set forth a beautiful moment where the air, the music and moment all conspire to make that perfect moment so memorable that to even begin to tell another person about it seems somehow sacra-saint. 



As a person who creates, musicians, artists, performers, teachers must often worry about the ability of being able to constantly being to recreate this precious moment of epiphany. What a delicate precipice we as creators live on.


One one hand - the artist is attempting to create a unique experience with the audience. Be it a listener, a student, a watcher of dance or a reader of the word, the interplay between the audience and the artist has to be uniquely special for the art and the moment to have the special stamp that makes that moment soar above that pedantic. It is necessary to the artful experience for the viewer to feel this special moment to wanting more - creating a consumers need. The student who has the epiphany will yearn for more knowledge, the listener who is moved to tears, will want that emotion again; and not some chintzy fake recreation - they, the audience, want what only the artist can create, l'expérience vécue, or THE REAL EXPERIENCE. 

On the other hand, it is quite impossible to imagine the word "unique' being applied to anything created "en masse". The very idea of being re-created, even once takes away from the unique, speciality on the l'expérience vécue. 



And so, the artiste walks the fence between knowing if tomorrow he or she will being to tomorrow, in an hour or next year provide a voracious audience that moment for which they yearn, expérience vécue, and knowing that by definition, that moment can not be recreated just whenever one desires. 


Two well known artists, Paulo Coehlo and Joyce DiDonato both speak to this moment in different manners. Ms. DiDanato speaks to the ephemeral nature of performance and the faith one must have to create, the faith in oneself, and one's education. Though she is speaking directly to a fan's question regarding her voice and talent, it is an analogy even a teacher can take to heart. Paulo Coehlo speaks to the nature of coincidence  - or the lack thereof. His book our class will soon read, and ponder these very questions. I am curious too what others think and would love your thoughts.